Spooler



June 10, 1941. B. A. PETERSON SPOOLER Filed Oct. 26, 1938 2 She ets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I Barr? ,4. Pet enson ATTO R N EY un 1941- B. A. PETERSON SPOOLER Filed Oct. 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Fig. 3.

ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1941 SPOOLER Burt A. Peterson, Rockford, 11]., assignor to Barber-Colman Company, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 26, 1938, Serial No. 237,022

13 Claims.

The invention pertains to automatic yarn winding machines of the type commonly known as spoolers, and has particular reference to a lint collecting and disposal system for such mechanisms.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in a spooler, simple and eifectual means for removing and collecting lint produced as an incident to the winding operation.

A further object is to provide a lint coll-ecting and disposal system in which the travel of the winder tending mechanism is utilized to assist in the removal and collection of the lint.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing my improved lint collecting and removing system applied to an automatic spooler, the latter being shown more or less schematically.

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a lint collecting manifold forming part of the system, in its relation to the bobbin pockets.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through the spooler taken approximately in the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the winder tending mechanism in its cooperative relationship to the lint collecting and removing system.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the improved lint collecting and disposal system is applied to an automatic spooler or winder of the type shown in United States Patslit to Howard D. Colman No. 1,267,977, dated May 28, 1918. The winder comprises generally, mechanism for unwinding yarn from yarn containers or bobbins b (Fig. 3) onto other containers to form cheeses c, and a winder tendin mechanism generally designated 1 arranged to travel on an endless track 8 mounted upon longitudinally spaced standards 9 (Figs, 1 and 3) of a stationary framework. The tending mechanism operates in its travel to tie the ends of the yarn on reserve bobbins t-o theends of the yarn on the cheeses and performs various other operations attending the production of cheeses.

The winder consists of a plurality of units each comprising means for supporting a winding couple (1. e. a bobbin and a cheese), with the bobbins supported in bobbin pockets l9. Each pocket isopen at its upper forward end, and the yarn travels upwardly through a clearing device H and thence is wound onto a cheese driven by frictional contact with a rotating drum !2. The

units may be said to be arranged in a plurality of sections A of which six are shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the winder, exhaust air currents are employed for finding the thread ends upon the cheeses, for holding the threads at various points, and for carrying off waste portions of the threads. In addition air blasts are utilized for blowing lint and dust from certain parts of the machine. For this purpose the machine is provided with a motor driven exhauster l3 (Fig. 3) mounted upon the framework of the winder tending mechanism. The exhauster discharges .air downwardly through a duct M having a horizontal branch I5 provided with a discharge head It, and a depending branch I! terminating in a nozzle l8. l9 designates an additional air discharge tube leading from an oil separator 29 which may be of the character set forth in the Peterson Patent No. 1,622,607 dated March 29, 1927. The tube I9 has a dischargenozzle [9 directed inwardly into the upper open ends of the bobbin pockets.

The major portion of the lint produced in the winding operation occurs in the unwinding of the yarn from the bobbins, In addition lint is produced in the winding of the yarn onto the cheeses. Accordingto the present invention, an exhaust system of advantageous character is provided for collecting the lint thus produced at each of the winding units. Also, the air blasts produced by the exhauster l3 on the winder tending mechanism are utilized to supplement the action of the exhaust system in removing and disposing of the lint.

The improved exhaust system comprises, in the preferred embodimentof the invention, a plurality of suction devices in the form of exhaust manifolds 2! (Fig. 2), one for each of the sections A (Fig. 1). These manifolds are in the form of an elongated hollow member of any suitable construction, disposed rearwardly of the bobbin pockets and provided with a series of slots 22, one opposite each bobbin pocket and together constituting a restricted inlet immediately adjacent the open rear sides of the bobbin pockets in each of the sections A. As seen in Fig. 3 the manifolds gradually increasein transverse depth from top to bottom. They may be supported in any suitable way, as by angle brackets Zi secured to the supporting frame, with the upper edges of the manifolds engaging with elongated bars Zl rearwardly of the upper ends of the bobbin pockets.

Each of the manifolds communicates through a discharge tube 23 with a duct 24 leading to an air trunk 25, there being one trunk on each side of the winder (Fig. 1). Both of the trunks terminate at one end in a pipe 26 leading to the inlet side of an exhauster 2! the other ends of the trunks being closed. The exhauster may be driven in any suitable way as by an electric motor 28, and it discharges through a duct 29 into a collector 30 of any suitable character.

In the travel of the winder tending mechanism, air is discharged inwardly from the tube I!) toward the bobbins, and tends to maintain the lint in suspension, preventing it from settling or collecting. Due to the location of the manifolds immediately adjacent the bobbin pockets and to the closed communication established by the tubes 23 and the ducts 24 between the trunks 25 and the manifold, strong air currents are set up close to the point of manufacture of the major portion of the lint, causing the induction of the lint into the manifolds and thence directly to the exhaust trunks. Not only is the lint thus effectually removed, but the amount of air which is required to be moved to accomplish this result is relatively small so that the size of the exhauster and the power required for its operation are proportionately decreased.

In order to collect lint which may not be removed from the bobbin pockets through the manifolds 2|, I provide on each side of the spooler an elongated trough 3| extending longitudinally beneath the bobbin pockets and each communicating with one of the trunks by means of a duct 32. The bobbin pockets have slots 32 and 32 at the bottom thereof through which the bobbin supports extend, and any lint not removed from the pockets through the manifolds 2! may pass through these slots into the troughs 3|. Also the troughs have outwardly inclined wall portions 3W disposed substantially in the planes of the backs of the bobbin bins 3P. The arrangement is such that in the travel of the winder tending mechanism, the air discharged from the nozzle i8 is directed downwardly along the forward sides of the bobbin pockets, and along the backs of the bobbin bins and the lint is blown downwardly for collection by the trough, and is advanced in a mass along the trough by the air blast to the outlet ducts 32 which discharge into the trunks 25.

For the collection and removal of any lint which-may be formed in the winding of the yarn onto the cheeses, I provide elongated funnel-like chambers disposed rearwardly of and beneath the winding drums l2 at each side of the machine. These chambers extend lengthwise of the machine and are formed by a front wall 33 of sheet metal and a rear wall 34 also of sheet metal, the latter terminating in a flange 35 disposed adjacent the upper portion of the winding drum. At their ends the wall plates 33 and 34 are suitably secured to the longitudinally spaced standards 9.

The two walls 33 and 34 are curved at their lower marginal edge portions so as to cooperate in the formation of a discharge channel 36* having a bottom plate 3'! overlying the bobbin pockets and the bar El and forming the tops of the pockets. The plate 31 has openings 3ll communicating with the upper ends of the bobbin pockets preferably directly above the manifolds 2 I. Any lint formed in this winding operation is directed rearwardly by the air discharged from the head it. It passes downwardly between the walls 33 and 34 into the discharge channels 33 whence it finds its way through the openings 31 into the bobbin pockets for removal by the manifolds 2I. In this operation, the winding drums l2, rotating in a clcokwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, set up a rearward and downward current of air which augments the action of the suction devices in effecting the downward movement of the lint.

The bobbin pockets are open at their rear sides beneath the manifolds so as to communicate with a trough 38 at each side of the machine, each having at the bottom thereof a conveyor belt 39 for empty bobbins. For the removal of lint from the conveyor belts, the trunks 25 may be provided with extension tubes 49 having suitably apertured end portions overlying the belts.

It will be observed that the bobbin pockets l0 constitute lint collecting receptacles from which the lint produced in the unwinding of the yarn from the bobbins is effectually removed by the exhaust system including the manifolds 2|, ducts 24 and exhaust trunks 25. Similarly the lint produced in the winding of the yarn onto the cheeses is collected in receptacles formed by the chambers 35 which communicate with the exhaust system through the holes 37 at the bottoms of the channels 36* and disposed adjacent to the manifolds. Any part of the lint not removed by the exhaust manifolds, is blown downwardly for collection by the elongated troughs .l I, and is carried along the troughs by the air blast from the nozzle H? for discharge through the outlet ducts 32 leading to the trunks 25.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing an endless track, a traveling mechanism mounted to travel along said track, means for supporting a series of bobbins from which yarn is to be wound, bobbin pockets for said bobbins, means for supporting a series of cheeses onto which the yarn from said bobbins is to be wound, a plurality of drums for driving said cheeses, said bobbins and cheeses being arranged in sections with a driving drum for each of said sections, an elongated chamber beneath each of said drums, means on said traveling mechanism for discharging a blast of air downwardly along said bobbin pockets, and an air exhaust system for removing lint from said bobbin pockets and from said chambers including a plurality of exhaust manifolds one for each of said sections disposed rearwardly of the bobbin pockets and beneath the chambers, said chambers having outlet openings disposed adjacent said manifolds, an exhaust trunk extending along each side of said frame and connections between said trunks and the respective manifolds, said bobbin pockets having lower outlet openings, and elongated troughs extending along opposite sides of the frame beneath the bobbin pockets and having outlet openings connected with said trunks. said air blast being operative to advance the lint along said troughs to said outlet openings.

2. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing an endless track, a traveling mechanism mounted to travel along said track, means for supporting a series of bobbins from which yarn is to be wound, bobbin pockets for said bohbins means for supporting a series of cheeses onto which the yarn from said bobbins is to be wound. a plurality of drums for driving said cheeses, said bobbins and cheeses being arranged in sections with a driving drum for each of said sections, an elongated chamber beneath each of said drums, means on said traveling mechanism for directing a blast of air toward said bobbins and cheeses, and an air exhaust sys tem for removing lint from said bobbin pockets and from said chambers including a plurality of exhaust manifolds one for each of said'sections disposed rearwardly adjacent the bobbin'pockets and beneath the chambers, said chambers having outlet openings disposed adjacent said mani-' folds, an exhaust trunk extending along each side of said frame, and connections between said trunks and the respective manifolds.

3. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame, means for supporting a series of bobbins from which yarn is to be wound, bobbin pockets for said bobbins, means for supporting a series of cheeses onto which the yarn from said bobbins is to be wound, a plurality of drums for driving said cheeses, said bobbins and cheeses being arranged in sections with a driving drum for each of said sections, an elongated chamber beneath each of said drums, a plurality of manifolds one for each of said sections disposed rearwardly adjacent the bobbin pockets and beneath the chambers, said chambers having outlet openings communicating with said manifolds, and an exhaust system connected with said manifolds and operative to create a low pressure zone in the rear portion of each of the bobbin pockets for the withdrawal of lint from such pockets and into said system for removal.

4. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing a track, a traveling mechanism mounted to travel along said track, means for supporting a series of bobbins from which yarn is to be wound, bobbin pockets for said bobbins, means on said traveling mechanism for discharging a blast of air downwardly adjacent 1 said bobbins, an air exhaust system for removing lint from said bobbin pockets including a plurality of exhaust manifolds disposed rearwardly of the bobbin pockets, an exhaust trunk extending longitudinally of said frame, and connections between said trunk and the respective manifolds, an elongated trough extending along the frame and disposed beneath the bobbin pockets for receiving lint not withdrawn by said manifolds, said air blast being operative to advance the lint along said trough, and outlets from said trough connecting with said trunk.

5. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing a track, means for supporting a series of bobbins and a series of cheeses, a plurality of bobbin pockets one for each of said bobbins, a traveling mechanism on said track having means for discharging a blast of air into said pockets, a plurality of manifolds communicating directly with said bobbin pockets, and means for drawing air and lint into said manifolds including an exhaust trunk extending longitudinally of the frame and pipe connections between the trunk and the respective manifolds.

6. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing a track, means for supporting a plurality of bobbins and a plurality of cheeses constituting winding couples, said winding couples being arranged in a plurality of groups, a traveling mechanism on said track having means for directing a blast of air toward said winding couples, and a lint collecting and removing system comprising an exhaust manifold for each of said groups disposed rearwardly of the bobbins, and an exhaust trunk having an individual connection with each of said manifolds.

'7. In an automatic spooler, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of winding couples each including a bobbin and a cheese, a plurality of pockets one for each of said bobbins,

means for removing lint from the bobbin pockets including an exhaust manifold having a restricted inlet immediately adjacent to and communicating with each of said bobbin pockets, a chamber for collecting lint produced in the winding of yarn onto said cheeses, said chamber having an outlet adjacent said inlet of the manifold, and an air exhauster in closed communication with said manifold.

8. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing a track, a traveling mechanism on said track, means for supporting a series of winding couples each including a bobbin and a cheese, a pocket for each of said bobbins having an outlet below the bobbin, an elongated trough beneath the bobbin pockets for collecting lint discharged through said outlet, an exhaust system, said trough having an outlet opening communicating with said system, and means on said traveling mechanism for discharging a blast of air downwardly into said trough so as to advance the lint collected therein to said outlet in the travel of said mechanism.

9. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame providing a track, a traveling mechanism on said track, means for supporting a series of winding couples each including a bobbin and a cheese, an elongated receptacle beneath the bobbins for collecting lint produced in unwinding yarn from the bobbins, an exhaust system, said receptacle having an outlet opening communicating with said system, and means on said traveling mechanism for discharging ablast of air downwardly into said receptacle so as to advance the lint collected therein to said outlet opening in the travel of said mechanism.

10. In an automatic spooler, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of winding couples each including a bobbin and a cheese, a pocket for each of said bobbins having an open side, means for supporting the bobbins in upright position in said pockets, and means for removing lint from the bobbin pockets including an air exhaust system having a manifold with an inlet closely adjacent said open sides of the bobbin pockets, said system being closed against the entry of air thereinto except through the manifold inlet.

11. A spooler comprising, in combination, a main frame, a series of bobbin pockets positioned side by side along the outer sides of said frame and arranged in a plurality of groups, bobbins supported in upright position in said pockets and from which yarn is unwound in the operation of the spooler, and an air exhaust system for removing lint from said bobbin pockets including an air exhaust trunk, and an elongated hollow member extending horizontally along each of said groups of bobbin pockets, each of said members having an inlet disposed closely adjacent the inner sides of the bobbin pockets and an outlet connected with said air exhaust trunk, said system being closed against the entry of air thereinto except through said inlets.

12. In an automatic spooler, the combination of a frame, means for supporting a series of bobbins from which yarn is to be unwound, means for supporting a series of cheeses onto which the yarn is to be wound, a drum for rotating said cheeses, an exhaust manifold having an inlet opening disposed immediately adjacent said series of bobbins rearwardly thereof, and an elongated chamber beneath said drum having an outlet opening adjacent the inlet opening of said manifold.

13. A spooler comprising in combination, an elongated frame, a series of winding couples arranged side by side along said frame and each including a bobbin from which yarn is to be unwound, a pocket for each of said bobbins having an opening at its rear side, said Winding couples being divided into a plurality of groups, and means for removing lint from the bobbin pockets comprising an air exhaust system having a plurality of manifolds, one for each of said groups, said manifolds having inlet openings disposed closely adjacent the openings in the rear sides of the bobbin pockets, and said exhaust system further comprising an exhaust trunk extending horizontally along said frame and ducts connecting said manifolds with said trunk.

BURT A. PETERSON. 

